Reasons that Vermont is cool #17: Patrick Leahy
Part of my ongoing series of reasons that I love being in Vermont.
Patrick Leahy makes the list for more than just helping get me into the US one night after I was refused entry into the US. It’s a long story, but I was headed here on a brief visit a few months before my job started in order to get a place to live lined up for my family and me. Needless to say, one can understand why a soon-to-be professor crossing the border to inject money into the local economy by buying a house might seem to be highly suspicious. Right? 🙂
From his work in Washington to his work supporting things like banning landmines and being very proactive about border issues, the guy is a truly admirable guy. And then I saw this! How can you not like the guy even more?! When was the last time we saw a Canadian politician in a Batman film, eh? Don’t worry, I do remember the issue of the X-Men comic book (in fact I have it at home) where Pierre Trudeau makes an appearance.
Sen. Patrick Leahy, D.-Vt., who once one re-election against a cult movie star, has a role of his own in the next Batman movie, “The Dark Knight.”
“I don’t wear tights,” Leahy said. “I think I’m referred to as the ‘distinguished gentleman.'”
Leahy said he was reading at 4, and enjoyed reading comic books. He’s a longtime Batman fan who has done voice-overs on Batman cartoons and wrote the preface for a Batman book.
“I like the fact that he’s standing up for people who didn’t have anyone standing up for them,” Leahy said.
Leahy had small roles in the last two Batman features, according to his press secretary, David Carle. The earnings from these projects and other artistic endeavors, including his published photographs, all go to the Montpelier library, Leahy said.
In “The Dark Knight,” which is scheduled for release next summer, Leahy is in a scene that involves Batman (Christian Bale), The Joker (Heath Ledger) and Alfred Pennyworth (Michael Caine.)
Not only does the guy appear in the movie, he’s a Batman fan. He’s even WRITTEN about Batman! He’d have my vote if I were able to vote.